title: Soil type limits population abundance of rodents in crop fields: case study of the multimammate rat Mastomys natalensis Smith, 1834 in Tanzania.
abstract: Studies of populations of the multimammate rat Mastomys natalensis in Morogoro, Tanzania, show that soil texture appears to influence the population abundance and distribution of these rats in agricultural fields. The lowest rodent population abundance was found on sandy clay soils (F((2, 5)) = 8.42; P= 0.025). The population abundances of M. natalensis on sandy clay loam and sandy loam soils did not differ significantly (P≤ 0.05), possibly because these soils have a very similar texture. The results of this study suggest that M. natalensis prefers loam-textured soils with a high percentage of sand, which are probably better than clay soils for burrowing and nesting, particularly in the rainy season. The lower preference for clay soils is probably related to the poor aeration in these soils and the waterlogging that occurs during the wet season.
authors.affiliation: Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaCrop Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaEvolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumDanish Pest Infestation Laboratory, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkRodent Control Centre, Morogoro, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Apia W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Massawe
authors.affiliation: Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaCrop Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaEvolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumDanish Pest Infestation Laboratory, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkRodent Control Centre, Morogoro, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Winnie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rwamugira
authors.affiliation: Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaCrop Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaEvolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumDanish Pest Infestation Laboratory, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkRodent Control Centre, Morogoro, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Herwig
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leirs
authors.affiliation: Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaCrop Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaEvolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumDanish Pest Infestation Laboratory, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkRodent Control Centre, Morogoro, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Rhodes H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Makundi
authors.affiliation: Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaCrop Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaEvolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumDanish Pest Infestation Laboratory, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkRodent Control Centre, Morogoro, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Loth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mulungu
authors.affiliation: Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaCrop Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaEvolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumDanish Pest Infestation Laboratory, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkRodent Control Centre, Morogoro, Tanzania.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ngowo
authors.affiliation: Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaCrop Science and Production, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, TanzaniaEvolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumDanish Pest Infestation Laboratory, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkRodent Control Centre, Morogoro, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Machang'u